Enemies or friends

Have you ever driven past a stand of Kaihikatea trees and noticed that their trunks are not all the same size. The trees on the outside of the group have the biggest trunks. The wind that blows against the trees is strongest on the outside trees and it is the wind, that makes them develop a stronger trunk.
Sometimes we just need to thank God for all our enemies; the ones that have opposed us or have said all manner of evil against us. The one who said we’d never do anything or never last. These are the people that helped to make us strong. Some of them were well intentioned, some of them were trying to hurt us, but it makes no difference, they helped make us who we are.
Sometimes our enemies are our friends and sometimes our friends are enemies. Often friends don’t rebuke us, saying only nice things but an enemy is not trying to be popular so their brutal honesty sometimes gets us after God. Mat 26:50
When the church was persecuted in Jerusalem, everyone had to leave town. It looked bad but it was wonderful! It was God helping them fulfil their destiny to be fruitful; to go into the entire world. Act 8.
So if you’ve have trouble in your family that keeps you on your knees and close to God, instead of on the golf course, thank Him for that.
Friend, God can use all your past and all your present “enemies” to make your future powerful for Him and a blessing to you.